Method and device for stuffing meat product sealed by stapling

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method and device for stuffing meat materials into sausages closed by stapling. The processed meat materials, before their introduction into an endless sleeve ( 4 ) having a first closed extremety and further narrowing of the stuffed material at regular intervals by means of spaced staples in order to produce a line of stuffed elements, are previously subjected to a cutting step at regular intervals of the continuous flow of meat material to be stuffed into the sleeve ( 4 ), making said cuts coincide with posterior zones of narrowing. The device for implementing the process comprises a stuffing zone ( 3 ) with continuous flow of meat materials, from a stuffing machine ( 1 ) through an outlet tube ( 2 ) introduced into the sleeve ( 4 ), having a first closed extremity, and includes between said outlet tube ( 2 ) of the stuffing machine ( 1 ) and said stuffing zone ( 3 ), a guillotine assembly ( 8 ) intended to cut transversally the meat material.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a method for stuffing meat productsealed by stapling and a related device to carry it out.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The process followed up to now for stuffing meat productconsisted, first, in conditioning the meat product to provide it withwished physical, organoleptic and sanitary characteristics. Thisconditioning generally includes chopping it or breaking it to piecesuntil reducing it to lumps having a variable size according to theproduct it is wished to obtain. Thereafter, by means of a suitableapparatus, a continuous flow of broken to pieces meat product occurswhich is introduced in an endless sleeve which has a first endpreviously sealed by means of a staple, so that a continuous section ofstuffed meat product is produced. Then, it is proceeded to choke saidcontinuous section of stuffed meat product at regular intervals by meansof a first and a second slightly spaced staples. With said stapling acontinuous strip of stuffed meat product elements is obtained in asleeve, sealed by stapling, linked to each other by a portion of sleeveexisting between said first and said second staples close to each other.Last, the sleeve is cut by the portion thereof located between saidfirst and second staples, obtaining that way individual, separateelements of meat product stuffed within a portion of sleeve sealed atboth ends with staples.

[0003] In the state of the art, equipments and devices to carry outstuffing of meat product according to above disclosed method are known,and we can mention the application for a Spanish Patent no 9702538 ofsame applicant, in which a machine for stuffing meat product isdisclosed which comprises a hopper for receiving already conditionedmeat product, within which two pistons are acting to remove and pushsaid meat product to let it passes through a rotating valve,synchronized with the pistons motion so that a continuous flow of meatproduct is produced through a stuffing duct open at one end, in orderthe meat product is being stuffed at same time as it is going out in anendless sleeve which has been previously arranged, corrugated, on saidstuffing duct with a first end sealed by means of a staple.

[0004] Also machines are known for chocking at regular intervals acontinuous sleeve stuffed with meat product by means of a double staple,i.e., a first and a second staples close to each other, and cutting theportion of the sleeve which remains located between two adjacent staplesto produce individual portions of stuffed meat product sealed withstaples, and as examples of this type of machine, we can mention thedocuments EP-0247546 and EP-0399195.

[0005] Usually, a stuffing facility comprises a stapling machineinstalled close to the outlet of a stuffing machine.

[0006] The problem the method and the devices of the state of the artshow is that choking the continuous section of stuffed meat product bymeans of two adjacent staples has no sufficient strength to cut thefibres of the meat product, namely in the event that this later has aparticular hardness or is broken to pieces with a relatively large sizeof lump, so that the individual pieces of sausages which result aftercutting the portion of sleeve between two adjacent staples show portionsor lumps of meat not fully cut which are seen at the eyes of thestaples, which could not be fully sealed because of those portions beingpresent. This causes that the pieces obtained are unacceptable forobvious sanitary reasons and cannot be presented to the public, becausethe portions of meat in contact with the external environment can berotten and contaminate the meat within the sausage. Also event when themeat product is finely chopped a problem arises, because rests thereofcan be left in the portion of the sleeve between two adjacent stapleswhich will remain exposed to the external environment after cutting saidportion of sleeve, which can produce bad smell.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] This invention provides a new method to stuff meat product sealedby a staple which brings a solution to these problems.

[0008] This invention also provides a device to carry out said method.

[0009] The new method essentially consists in introducing a new step inthe conventional stuffing process which consists in cutting at regularintervals said continuous flow of meat product before introducing it insaid endless sleeve, having said intervals of cutting coincident withthe further choking intervals by means of a double staple.

[0010] The cut carried out in the meat continuous flow produces adjacentportions of meat product flow which move jointly within the stuffingduct which push each other. The existence of said cut makes that thereis a lack of cohesion between a portion meat product flow and itspreceding one which causes at the moment of chocking, that both portionsare taken apart for each other, sliding within the sleeve, leaving theportion of sleeve between two adjacent staples clean and clear.

[0011] This is achieved, according to this invention, by means of a newtrimming device which may be installed interposed between a conventionalstuffing machine and a conventional stapling machine.

[0012] The new trimming device comprises an enclosure intercalated inthe duct of the meat product continuous flow, which provides apassageway for it and a guide for a cross cutting blade which has accessto the enclosure through a passageway which remains closed by thecutting blade itself. Said enclosure has available means which compriseit allowing the eventual opening thereof. Also driving means for saidcutting blade and suitable supporting means are provided.

[0013] Thereafter it is proceeded to disclose in details the inventionwhich has to be read with reference to the drawing attached, being itunderstood that they are only an example of a possible embodiment of theinvention therefore they must not be purported as restrictive but onlyillustrative.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] In the drawings:

[0015]FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a stuffing device to carry outthe method of this invention which includes a trimming device accordingto this invention;

[0016]FIG. 2 is a sketch which illustrates the steps of the new methodof this invention;

[0017]FIG. 3 is an exploded view in perspective which shows an enclosureand a cutting blade of the trimming device of the invention;

[0018]FIG. 4 is a front view of the trimming device of the invention;and

[0019]FIGS. 5 and 6 are cross section views taken respectively along thelines V-V and VI-VI of FIG. 4.

DETAILED EXPLANATION OF SOME EXAMPLES OF EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0020] It is first referred to FIGS. 1 and 2, in which is shown a deviceaccording to this invention for stuffing meat product sealed by staplingwhich comprises a stuffing area 3 where a continuous flow of previouslyconditioned meat product, supplied by a stuffing machine 1 through anoutlet 2 is introduced in an endless sleeve 4. Said sleeve 4 has beenpreviously arranged, corrugated on a duct in the stuffing area 3 and hasa first end previously sealed by means of a staple. The meat product,when going out through the open end of the duct at the stuffing area 3,is filling the continuous sleeve 4 providing a continuous section ofstuffed meat product.

[0021] After the stuffing area 3 there is a stapling machine 5. Saidstapling machine 5 chokes said stuffing continuous section, at regularintervals, by means of a double staple, i.e. by means of a first and asecond slightly spaced staples 6, 7. Said stapling machine 5, inaddition, cuts thereafter the sleeve 4 by the portion 4 a thereoflocated between said first and said second staples 6, 7 to produceindividual elements of stuffed meat product sealed at both ends bystaples 6,7.

[0022] Between said outlet 2 of the stuffing machine 1 and said stuffingarea 3, a trimming device 8 is installed adapted to produce a cross cutwhich determines separations A, at regular intervals, in said continuousflow of meat product, before they are introduced in said endless sleeve4. The device includes programmable control means (not shown) to havesaid separation A coincident at regular intervals with the furtherregular choking intervals by means of said staples 6, 7. So that, at thestapling step, the meat product at both sides of the separation A iswithdrawn under the pressure of the double staple 6, 7 leaving theportion of the sleeve 4 a between staples 6, 7 clean and clear so thatwhen it is cut stapled individual elements of sausage are achieved withexcellent appearance and sanitary properties.

[0023] Thereafter, it is referred to FIGS. 3 to 6, in which it is shownthat said trimming device 8 comprises an enclosure intercalated in theduct of the meat product continuous flow which provides a passageway forthem and a guide for a cross cutting blade 9 which has access to theenclosure through a passageway which remains closed by the cutting bladeitself 9.

[0024] Said enclosure is formed by a liner which comprises two halves10, 11, matched with tongues and grooves, which when coupled to eachother leave a flat cavity 12 between them for housing and guiding saidcutting blade 9. Each of the two halves 10, 11 incorporates an opening13 for the passage of said meat product, having a cross section equal inshape and sizes as the cross section of the meat product flow. When theyare assembled said openings 13 remain directly facing each other andperpendicular to the guiding planes of the cutting blade.

[0025] One of the ends 12 a of said flat cavity 12 close to saidopenings 13 remains closed by the tongues and grooves matching of saidtwo halves 10, 11, while the other end 12 b remains open for the freepassage of the cutting blade 9. Dering the operation, said end 12 bremains closed by the cutting blade itself 9 by virtue of the smallclearances.

[0026] The travel of the cutting blade 9 is carried out between a firstposition in which said openings 13 remains clear and a second positionin which the cutting blade 9 remains fully interposed between saidopenings 13.

[0027] In order to minimize the empty spaces around the openings 13, theprofile of the cutting blade 9 edge 14 is convex and is adapted to thecontour of said openings 13, while the internal contour of the closedend 12 a of the flat cavity 12, defined by two halves 10, 11 is adaptedto the profile of said cutting blade 9 edge 14.

[0028] The two halves 10, 11, matched with tongues and grooves,constituting said liner are of a low coefficient of friction and highabrasion resistance material such as, for example, a polyethylenepolymer.

[0029] The trimming device has available means which comprise saidenclosure allowing the eventual opening thereof. Said means comprise twohalf-ducts 15, 16, directly facing each other, provided with respectiveflanges 17, 18 at their mouthpieces facing each other, which are hingedto each other by a point 19 of their periphery and provided withfastening means 20 at a directly opposed point. Said flanges 17, 18 maybe backed on the two halves 10, 11, packing them in their tongues andgrooves letting-in. By freeing the fastening means 20, the twohalf-ducts can rotate on the hinge 19 leaving free access to theinterior of the enclosure to make cleaning and maintenance of cuttingblade 9, the flat cavity 12 two halves 10, 11, openings 13 andhalf-ducts 15, 16 easier.

[0030] Said flanges 17, 18 faces facing each other include protrusions21 which are matched with related offsets 22 of the two halves 10, 11 sothat two half-ducts 15, 16 directly facing the liner openings 13 issecured. In addition, in order to prevent liquid leakage from the meatproducts between the faces of the flange 17, 18 contacting,respectively, the faces of the halves 10, 11, tightness elastic means 30are included.

[0031] The trimming device 8 includes a supporting member 23, linked tothe stuffing machine 1 by means of an hinge 24, provided with afork-shaped portion 23 a to which flange 17 is joined as well as a bentappendage 25 to which are fastened driving means of the cutting blade 9.The support 23 is arranged so that the half ducts 15, 16 remainsdirectly facing the outlet 2 of the stuffing machine 1 and the duct ofthe stuffing area 3, respectively.

[0032] In order to make the device cleaning and maintenance easier, thewhole cutting assembly 8 may rotate with respect to the hinge 24 givingaccess to said outlet 2, fastening means being available between thehalf duct 15 and the outlet 2 and between the half duct 16 and the ductof the stuffing area 3, tightness elastic means 28 being included atrespective areas of contact.

[0033] The cutting blade 9 is driven by means which comprise a fluiddynamic cylinder 26 attached to the bent portion 25 of the supportingmember 23. The cylinder 26 rod 27 is joined to an end of said cuttingblade 9, opposite to the edge 14, by suitable fastening means 29, suchas, for example, a block integral with the rod 27 having a notch adaptedto receive the end of the cutting blade 9 and a screw fixed on saidblock which crosses the blade 9 through a hole provided for such aim.

1. Method for stuffing meat product sealed by stapling, of the typecomprising the steps of: conditioning the meat product to provide itwith wished physical, organoleptic and sanitary characteristics;producing a continuous flow of meat product introducing it in an endlesssleeve which has a first end previously sealed, so that a continuoussection of stuffed meat product is provided; choking said wrappingsleeve of said continuous section of sausage at regular intervals bymeans of a first and a second slightly spaced staples to produce acontinuous strip of elements of stuffed meat product linked to eachother by the portion of sleeve between said first and said secondstaples; and cutting the portion of sleeve between said first and saidsecond staples, to produce individual elements of stuffed meat productsealed by stapling, characterized in that it includes, in addition, astep of cutting at regular intervals set continuous flow of meat productprior to the introduction thereof in said endless sleeve, making saidcuts on the section of stuffed meat product are coincident with saidfurther chocking regularly spaced areas, on said sleeve.
 2. Device forstuffing meat product sealed by stapling, of the type comprising: astuffing area (3) where a continuous flow of previously conditioned meatproduct, supplied by a stuffing machine (1) through an outlet (2) isintroduced in an endless sleeve (4) with a first end previously closedby means of a staple, providing a continuous sausage section; and astapling machine (5) located after the stuffing area (3) which chokessaid sausage continuous section at regular intervals by means of a firstand a second slightly spaced staples (6, 7) and which cuts the sleeve(4) by the portion (4 a) thereof between said first and said secondstaples (6, 7) to produce individual elements of stuffed meat productsealed by stapling, characterized in that it includes, in addition,between said outlet (2) of the stuffing machine (1) and said stuffingarea (3) a trimming device (8) adapted to produce a cross cut whichdetermines a separation (A) at regular intervals of said continuous flowof meat product before its introduction in said endless sleeve (4),programmable control means existing to make said separation (A), atregular intervals, is coincident with said further regular chokingintervals.
 3. Device, according to claim 2, characterized in that saidtrimming device (8) comprises an enclosure intercalated in the meatproduct continuous flow duct which provides a passageway for it and aguide for a cross cutting blade (9) which has access to the enclosurethrough a passageway which remains closed by the cutting blade (9)itself, means which comprise said enclosure allowing the eventualopening thereof, driving means of said cutting blade (9) and supportingmeans.
 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that saidenclosure remain formed by a liner which comprises two halves (10, 11)grooves and tongues matched which, when coupled to each other, leave aflat cavity (12) between them for housing and guiding said cutting blade(9).
 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that each of thetwo halves (10, 11) incorporates an opening (13) for meat productpassage, having a cross section equal in shape and sizes to the crosssection of the meat product flow, said openings (13) remaining, whenthey are assembled, directly facing each other and perpendicular to theguiding planes of the cutting blade.
 6. Device, according to claim 5,characterized in that the tongues and grooves match of said two halves(10, 11) closes one of the ends (12 a) of said flat cavity (12) close tosaid openings (13) while it leaves the other end (12 b) open for thecutting blade (9) free passage, said end (12) remaining in operation,closed by the cutting blade (9) by virtue of the small clearances. 7.Device, according to claim 6, characterized in that the travel of thecutting blade (9) is carried out between a first position in which saidopenings (13) are clear and a second position in which the cutting blade(9) remains fully interposed between said openings (13).
 8. Device,according to claim 7, characterized in that the cutting blade (9) edge(14) profile is convex and adapt itself to the contour of said openings(13) while the internal contour of the closed end (12 a) of the flatcavity (12) defined by two halves (10, 11) adapts itself to the profileof said cutting blade (9) edge (14) so that the empty spaces around theopenings (13) are minimized.
 9. Device, according to claim 8,characterized in that the two halves (10, 11) grooves and tonguesmatched constituting said liner are of a low coefficient of friction andhigh abrasion resistance material, such as, for example, a polyethylenepolymer.
 10. Device, according any of claims 3 to 9, characterized inthat said means which comprise said enclosure allowing the eventualopening thereof comprise two half ducts (15, 16), directly facing eachother, provided with respective flanges (17, 18) at their mouthpiecesfacing each other, which are hinged to each other by a point (19) oftheir periphery and provided with fastening means (20) at a pointdirectly opposite, said flanges (17, 18) may be backed on the two halves(10, 11) packing them in their tongues and grooves match.
 11. Device,according to claim 10, characterized in that the faces of said flanges(17, 18) facing each other include protrusions (21) which are matchedwith related offsets (22) of the two halves (10, 11) so that directfacing of the two half ducts (15, 16) with the openings (13) of theliner is secured.
 12. Device according to claim 10 or 11, characterizedin that between the faces of the flanges (17, 18) in contact with thefaces of the halves (10, 11) tightness elastic means (30) are included.13. Device, according to claim 10, 11 or 12, characterized in that itincludes a supporting member (23), linked to the stuffing machine (1) bymeans of an hinge (24) provided with a fork-shaped portion (23 a) towhich is joined one of the flanges (17, 18) and with a bent appendage(25) to which driving means of the cutting blade (9) are attached sothat the half ducts (15, 16) remain directly facing the outlet (2) ofthe stuffing machine (1), the whole trimming assembly (8) being able torotate with respect to the hinge (24) to provide access to said outlet(2).
 14. Device, according to claim 13, characterized in that thetrimming device (8) has available fastening means between the half ducts(15, 16) and the outlet (2) and the duct of the stuffing area (3),including tightness elastic means (28) at the areas of contact. 15.Device, according to any of the claims 3 to 14, characterized in thatsaid driving means of the cutting blade (9) comprise a fluid dynamiccylinder (26) the rod (27) of which is joined to an end of said cuttingblade (9), opposite to the edge (14), by fastening means (29).